Barton Hollow
by evanescentflame421
Summary: I've Got This Friend: "Well, that turned out better than I expected," the blonde admitted. "Oh, what did you expect?" "You to brush me off or ignore me." "I wouldn't do that." "I know," he said honestly.
1. Falling

_**A/N: So I know I shouldn't be starting a new story but I need to get this out of my system, and The Civil Wars deserve more fans. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Harry Potter**_** or the songs off of the album **_**Barton Hollow**_**.**_

_**...**_

**Barton Hollow**

"Falling"

_Haven't you seen me sleepwalking?'  
><em>_Cause I've been holding your hand  
>Haven't you noticed me drifting<br>Oh, let me tell you I am_

He looked at his wife sitting across the dinner table and wondered how she could bear the silence. It wasn't as if they had always been like this. Before they were invested in enjoying their marriage. For a while.

He hadn't meant for them to become like this. He hadn't meant for them to fizzle out. He didn't want their marriage to become the business deal it had started out as. But now it was too late to do anything about it.

After a few months of being married she became distant as he buried himself with work. Still, she was a good wife. She stood by his side as they faced the public. She held his hand as the cameras flashed and he attempted to rebuild his family's reputation. She catered to his needs and she tried to help him with his issues. She did what she could, but she could only get so far when he wouldn't let her in and her efforts were not genuine enough to persist until she broke through.

_Tell me it's nothing  
>Try to convince me that I'm not drowning<br>Oh, let me tell you, I am_

He crawled into bed next to her as she continued reading a romance novel. He watched her as she read. She paid him no attention.

"Astoria?"

"Yes?"

He gently guided the novel down to her lap so that she would look at him.

"Are we okay?"

She lifted a brow questioningly but answered, "Yes. We're fine."

"Astoria, don't lie to me."

"I'm not."

_Please,  
>Please tell me you know<br>I've got to let you go  
>I can't help falling out of love with you<em>

Looking in her eyes he could tell that she was telling the truth.

He got out of bed and walked to his wardrobe. He opened it and pulled out an outfit at random and began to change.

"Draco? Draco, what are you doing?"

"I'm going out."

"At eleven o'clock at night? Without your wife? What if people see - what will they think?"

He pulled a cloak over his shoulders. "They'll think we're just fine. We're always fine. All we're ever going to be is fine."

Shooting him an accusatory glare she snapped, "You say that like it's a bad thing. Do you know how many couples would kill to be 'just fine'?"

"No, I don't."

"Draco, I'm sorry, just come back to bed."

"No. You can sit there and be fine on your own."

Shooting her an apologetic look he exited the room and then their manor.

…

_Why I am feeling so guilty?  
>Why I am holding my breath?<br>Worry about everyone but me  
>And I just keep losing myself<em>

She looked around the dinner table and smiled at the air of normalcy that surrounded them. It was almost like the way things had been before. Before the war. Before the death. Before the grief.

Things were finally getting better for the family. The healing process was almost complete. The good news of the engagement had brought more joy to the household than there had been in a long time. The family was mending and growing.

She felt a strong hand grasp hers and her smile faltered for a moment. The family would probably be expecting another engagement after this one was handled and a beautiful, joyful wedding was thrown. They would expect her engagement next. They had always expected her engagement to the youngest boy. It wasn't just the family, it was what the whole world was expecting. It is what she had expected.

But now she wasn't so sure about what to expect. It was a foreign concept to her - not knowing. She was notorious for knowing things. But there she sat with a family she loved, with a man she loved, not knowing if she would ever become a member of the family like her best friend soon would.

She and the man sitting next to her, they weren't the same anymore. Only, each of them were exactly as they were when they had gotten together. Which was probably the problem.

They started out with a flare, amidst a war they were not sure they'd survive. And then they were hit by grief before it was even over.

They helped each other cope. They cried together. They healed together.

And now things were as they were before. But she felt that they should be progressing, not regressing to what they were before.

_Tell me it's nothing  
>And try to convince me that I'm not drowning<br>Oh let me tell you, I am_

"That was fun. Did you see Mum's face when Ginny showed her the ring? It was priceless!" He chuckled at the memory as he removed his coat and made the way to the small kitchen of their loft.

"That it was," she said quietly. "Ronald, do you think we'll ever get married?"

"'Course we will, 'Mione. Why wouldn't we?"

Yes. Why wouldn't they?

"Why would we?" She asked taking a seat at the counter.

He looked bewildered for a moment. "Because we belong together."

Because they belong together.

_Please,  
>Please tell me you know<br>I've got to let you go  
>I can't help falling out of love with you<em>

She let out a laugh. "Yes, that is the rumor, isn't it?"

" 'Rumor'? 'Mione are you okay?"

She made her way towards the door. "Yes." She opened it and inhaled deeply. "And no." Stepping outside she closed the door gently behind her.

…

_Won't you read my mind?  
>Don't you make me lie here<br>And die_

She would understand. He knew she would. He knew deep down this is what she wanted too. She was unhappy. Marriage wasn't supposed to be unhappy. No, that's a lie. Relationships weren't supposed to be unhappy, but they never had a relationship. They'd die together but alone.

She hoped he'd understand. And she hoped he'd forgive her one day. _"Because we belong together" _wasn't good enough for her. Not anymore. She loved him but she was no longer in love with him. And she was not going to stay in a relationship that was based on bad circular reasoning. They should be together because they belonged together. They belong together because they were always together.

_**It doesn't work like that.**_

_Oh please,  
>Please tell me you knowI've got to let you go<br>I can't help falling out of love with you  
>With you<em>

He walked into the Leaky Cauldron and ordered a firewhiskey. He was determined to enjoy the rest of his life. Too much time had been wasted already.

She walked into the Leaky Cauldron. She was determined to relinquish her title as Ronald Weasley's destiny to someone else. It is time to be Hermione Granger.

_Haven't you noticed darling?  
>I'm sleepwalking<em>

She slid onto the only available barstool and ordered a butterbeer. He took another sip of his drink.

"Evening, Granger."

"Evening, Malfoy."

They sat in silence until her drink arrived. She turned to face him.

"Cheers?" She held up her drink.

He touched his drink to hers. "Cheers."


	2. My Father's Father

**Barton Hollow**

"My Father's Father"

_I hear something hanging on the wind  
>I see black smoke up around the bend<br>I've got my ticket and I'm going to go  
>Home <em>

He never thought he'd board this train again, nor did he ever think that he'd find he missed the train. But then again he was never really sure if he'd have the opportunity to board the train again.

Yet there he was, sitting on the Hogwarts Express, on his way to his "eighth" year of schooling.

He looked out of the window and watched the green earth roll by, his view slightly obscured by the smoke coming from the train's engine. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the window. He had his compartment to himself and he was thankful for that. He was in no mood to deal with his fellow Slytherins. He wanted to avoid the judgment and condemnation for as long as he could. Merlin knew he'd get loads of it at school. At least at Hogwarts he'd be away from all of the reporters and cameras. He felt bad about leaving his mother, but she insisted that he return to Hogwarts. She said that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, thank you very much.

He smiled softly at the memory of her waving him off just an hour ago. She was right. She was always right. He had to go Hogwarts.

_The leaves have changed a time or two  
>Since the last time the train came through<br>I've got my ticket and I'm going to go  
>Home <em>

Stroking a picture of Harry, Ronald, and herself, she smiled softly.

"You miss them already, don't you?"

She nodded.

"You know you'll be fine without them, right?"

"Of course I do, Ginny. I'm alone, not an invalid."

"Alone? And what am I, a pumpkin pasty?" the red-haired girl huffed.

"Oh come on, you know that's not what I meant."

"Of course I do, 'Mione. I just love giving you a hard time." The younger girl threw an impish grin at her friend and they both laughed. "Besides, we both know that they needed you more than you needed them when it came to the academic department."

The no-longer-bushy-haired girl looked at her friend. "Ginny, you know you'll be fine without him, right?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "I've been in love with Harry Potter since I was ten. After this summer, I realized that we aren't meant to be. It's just like you and Ron. The four of us are all going to be all right." She turned her gaze toward the window and sighed. "I do miss them though."

"As do I. It's just so strange, I feel like I've been away from it for so long. And it's even stranger knowing that Harry and Ron won't be here with me."

Her younger friend patted her hand, "You _were _away for a very long time. But this year is going to be amazing. I promise." Hermione gave her a small smile. She was so grateful to have Ginny.

The older witch turned her attention to the window and her expression became thoughtful.

"Ginny, I'll be back." The redhead raised an eyebrow but said nothing as her friend exited their compartment.

She walked through the train trying not to attract too much attention as she glanced into every compartment until she found the one she was searching for. Taking a deep breath, she slid open the door and stepped inside.

_My father's father's blood is on the tracks  
>A sweet refrain drifts in from the past<br>I've got my ticket and I'm going to go  
>Home <em>

The grey-eyed boy was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the door to his compartment slide open. Before him stood a very hesitant-looking Hermione Granger.

"May I sit down?" He hesitated but nodded, straightening his posture as she took a seat across from him.

He arched a brow questioningly. "Not looking for Longbottom's toad again, are you Granger?"

She let out a weak laugh. "No. Neville's managed to keep track of Trevor this time around."

They sat in silence and he turned his attention back to the window. She debated leaving but his voice stopped her internal conflict.

"You know, my whole family's gone to Hogwarts. Generations of Malfoys and Blacks."

"That's very impressive," she said, not knowing where he was going with this.

He scoffed, but then his expression softened again. "My grandfather passed away during sixth year."

"Abraxas Malfoy. It was dragon pox, wasn't it?" she recalled.

"Studying up on me, Granger?" Before she could retort he gave her a weak smile, effectively stopping her. "He was a harsh man, like most Malfoy men, but he had a soft spot for me. When it would just be me and him he would tell me stories from his life. He was very good to me, spoiled me rotten."

"Because that's just what you needed," she said teasingly.

"He actually got his arse beat on this very train."

"Really?" she was surprised. Abraxas Malfoy was said to be a very respectable man.

"Yes. He was a first year and sitting amongst some older Slytherins and other Slytherin-bound first years. He made the mistake of saying that he liked the train, and since the Muggles were capable of building something so nice they couldn't be that bad. Back then there was a lot of opposition towards the train because it was constructed by Muggles; many pure-blooded families didn't want their precious children riding the train, and some of the children complained that they would be tainted by the Muggle contraption. Anyway, they broke his nose and gave him two black eyes and he ran from the compartment, not wanting them to see him cry. A Ravenclaw muggle-born saw him and fixed him up and let him ride with her for the rest of the ride. She even bought him some snacks off the trolley. He developed a crush on the older witch and even sent her anonymous flowers and candy every Valentine's Day until she graduated."

"That's very sweet," she replied, mildly shocked. "Your grandfather had a crush on a muggle-born?"

"Yes," he said, looking at her once again, "But years of having blood superiority beaten into you did nothing to help him. He accepted the fact that he could never have her and moved on, eventually embracing the beliefs he grew up with and teaching them to his son. She never really counted as inferior, though, and he always kept her as his special secret. No one other than he and I, and now you, knew about her."

The witch let out a mirthless laugh. "There's nothing like unrequited love."

_The winding roads that led me here  
>Burn like coal and dry like tears<br>So here's my hope, my tired soul  
>Here's my ticket, I want to go<br>Home _

"What are you doing here, Granger?" he asked, leaning in and watching her intently.

She paused, thinking over her answer. "Because you're not Malfoy anymore," she said finally. "You are Draco Malfoy, yes, but not the one that I grew up knowing. The war changed you - it changed all of us. It's difficult to put seven years of bad blood behind us, but I don't want to be your enemy anymore. I want to move on. We are on our way back to Hogwarts, the place where we grew up together, a place that has seen and endured so much, and I want this year to be enjoyable. Hogwarts has always been a home for me and it is more so now than ever. It deserves to witness some healing after all that it's been through and I'll help that process in any way I can. What I'm trying to say is, as far as I'm concerned, I am your ally."

With that, she stood to take her leave.

"Thank you, Granger," she heard as she stepped out. Turning around to slide the door closed, she said, "You're welcome, Draco."

_Home _

He watched the door slide shut and sat back as he recounted all that had just occurred.

He looked at his pocket watch.

Only about an hour until he reached home.

_Home _


	3. I've Got This Friend

**Barton Hollow**

"I've Got This Friend"

"Hermione!"

The girl in question snapped back to reality. She turned to red-headed best friend still looking confused. "Huh?"

"I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes. Why're you staring at the Slytherin table?" Ginny asked.

"I was not staring. I simply lost track of my thoughts. I wasn't looking at anything in particular."

The younger witch gave her a suspicious look but dropped the subject. "So, will you be joining us at the Burrow for the holidays?"

"No, I won't be. Not for the majority of the time, at least. I'll be with my parents until Christmas Eve, go to the Burrow Christmas day, and then I'm coming back to school."

"Back before the holidays? Honestly Hermione, you've done enough studying for the term. If you try to force any more knowledge into your head it's going to explode!"

"Oh, don't exaggerate so much!" She looked at her plate and started moving her food around. She hadn't even taken a bite yet.

"I'm only teasing, 'Mione," the ginger said. "I've got to go finish wrapping the boys' gifts. I'll see you later."

Hermione waved her friend goodbye and looked down at her plate, not really hungry anymore. She slowly lifted her eyes and found a pair of silver ones gazing back at her. She shot him a small smile and set her fork down. She rose from her seat and started making her way toward the Quidditch pitch.

_I've got this friend, I don't think you know him  
>He's not much for words, he's hidden his heart away<br>Oh, I've got this friend, a loveless romantic  
>All that he really wants is someone to want him back <em>

Hermione sat and waited. Her mind drifted back to that day in Diagon Alley.

_She was sitting in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, deciding to grab something to eat before she had to meet with Ginny. She read The Daily Prophet as she sat and was so consumed that she did not notice the person who sat down across from her until he cleared his throat._

_She looked up, surprised. Sitting across from her was none other than Draco Malfoy. "Can I help you with something?"_

_He was silent for a moment, looking undecided. "I heard you and Weasley broke up."_

_She placed her paper down. "Are you going to mock me for not being able to make my relationship last longer than a few months?" Her voice was accusing and annoyed._

"_No, no! I was just trying to make conversation!"_

"_Why?" she asked, still suspicious._

_He looked conflicted. It was so strange to see how different the boy sitting across from her was from the boy she knew growing up. He seemed nervous. _

_He pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Here, read it. Please."_

_She unfolded the parchment and found Malfoy's neat script. She read what he wrote._

_Oh, if the right one came  
>If the right one came along<br>Oh, if the right one came along _

She turned as she heard footsteps approaching. She smiled brightly at the new arrival and he sat down next to her.

"Hello," she greeted.

"Hello," he returned.

_I've got this friend,  
>I don't think you know her<br>She sings a simple song that sounds a lot like his  
>I've got this friend holding onto her heart<br>Like it's a little secret, like it's all she's got to give _

_She read over it and he tried to read the emotion on her face. After a moment she reached into her bag and pulled out a Muggle pen and paper. Then she began to write._

_He waited nervously and wordlessly as she penned a response. _

_When she was done she looked it over and then, satisfied, handed it to him._

_He took it and read over it, a smile forming on his lips._

_Oh, if the right one came  
>If the right one came along<br>Oh, if the right one came along _

He took his hand into hers. She scooted in closer and leaned into him.

_It'd be such a shame  
>If they never meet <em>

"Well, that turned out better than I expected," the blonde admitted.

"Oh, what did you expect?"

"You to brush me off or ignore me."

"I wouldn't do that."

"I know," he said honestly.

_She sounds lovely,  
>He sounds right out of a dream <em>

She pulled a piece of parchment out of her pocket, unfolded it, and began to read.

"Dear Granger,

Well… this is more difficult than I imagined it would be. So… I guess I should start by thanking you. Your and Potter's testimonies saved me and my mother from going to Azkaban along with my father. So, thank you.

I would like to ask for a truce of sorts. I apologize for making your life miserable. Sincerely. I do not want to be that person anymore.

Merlin, I'm not good at this. Would you accept my apology and my request? Please?

-Draco Malfoy

P.S. I'd say I'm sorry for your break up, but I'm not. You've always been too good for him."

Once she stopped he pulled out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and began to read:

"Dear Draco,

I accept both your apology and request.

And I am also not sorry for my break up. We were never meant to be more than friends, I've realized it now.

-Hermione Granger

P.S. I'm glad you're not in Azkaban.

P.P.S. Call me Hermione."

_If only, if only, if only _

"_Well then, I guess I should be going. I'll see you around, Hermione."_

_He stood up and pushed in his chair, picking up his ice cream. Mint chocolate chip. A Muggle flavor._

_She smiled. "Goodbye, Draco."_

_Oh, if the right one came  
>If the right one came along<br>Oh, (I've got this friend)  
>If the right one came<br>If the right one came along  
>Oh, (I've got this friend)<br>If the right one came along _

"So after spending Christmas morning with the redheads and honorary Weasley, you'll come to the Manor?"

"Yes. And then after dinner with your mother, we'll return to Hogwarts, correct?"

"Yes. And no studying allowed, Granger!" he scolded softly.

"Oh fine!" she huffed.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I love you."

She nuzzled into his neck. "I love you too."

**...**

**A/N: So, this is not my best chapter. But I've been out of practice and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Yes, I'm back. And I will be updating more often. :)**


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